Western Ridge Charcoal Frieze

Summary: An impressive frieze of Aboriginal charcoal drawings in the Blue Labyrinth area of the Blue Mountains; the identifiable motifs include a wallaby or kangaroo, and two men fighting.

  • Site type: Cave Painting
  • Number of motifs: 35
  • Motif/s: Emu, Kangaroo, Man
  • Quality: 4.5/5
  • Condition of site: Good
  • Year first recorded: 1958

Along the wall of a long and sheltered cave along the Western Ridge in the Blue Labyrinth is an impressive “frieze” of Aboriginal rock art. After a few days without rain, water was still dripping over the front of the shelter – although there are no grinding grooves under the dripline.

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Many of the charcoal figures exhibit some weathering, but a number are still quite distinct. One complex panel has what seems to be multiple human figures.

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Another, described in A History of the Blue Labyrinth (Bruce Cameron), shows two figures “possibly fighting”.

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At one end of the shelter is what appears to be a man and a bird, perhaps an emu.

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Nearby is a wallaby, or kangaroo.

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There are over 30 motifs scattered along about 20m of sandstone.

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